Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Celebrating 100 Posts & An Announcement

When I was first inspired to start genealogy/family history blogging in August 2006 (thanks to footnoteMaven and our hobnobbing across the table at our Nearby History writing seminar), I didn't know quite where it would take me, or how I would ever find enough to write about. Sound like a familiar story? I thought it would be only family members who would find my Norwegian-American family history focus and stories of interest. Now, after 100 posts, I can easily see no end to it, thanks to inspiration and encouragment from other genealogy/family history bloggers, in particular.

I may have gotten myself into hot water by taking on too much, but I'd like to announce that I was recently chosen as a local history columnist for Seattle Examiner.com. They saw my blog and this is the result! Can you imagine? Well, pinch me, because I am still waking up, as well as learning how to find my rhythm with it all. As my fellow Seattle Examiners and I publish posts, new entries scroll on the home page. So, depending on how prolific I am (or not!), you may or may not see my link and profile there. However, a direct url for my Seattle & Pacific Northwest History Examiner blog can always be located under the heading: "Examiners."

Wish me luck...

And, a big THANKS to my fellow bloggers for providing me with some stimulating reading over my journey of 100 posts!

Congratulations, Chery! I want to say that I always enjoy reading your Norwegian stories. As you may know, one of my husband's great-grandmothers was Norwegian, and the cultural and historical things you share on your blog are insightful and informative as I research his family line. No one is alive in the family that I can ask questions of in regard to Norwegian culture, so your blog has been very helpful, plus just plain fun to read!

The town of Maynard, Minnesota in Chippewa County has a little piece of my heart, being the longtime home of my Norwegian-American great...

From My Family Collections

Kjersten Stromstad Larson as a young woman (one of my great great grandmothers)

Johnson/Larson Cabinet Card Photo Album A, 1880s-1890s

Click on the album cover to look inside.

This Victorian-era cabinet card photograph album had a lovely crimson velvet cover under the brass trim and clasp before it faded due to exposure and time. The album was owned by my great grandparents, Ole Martin and Malla Johnson, of Leonard Minnesota, both of whom died in 1948. Like many folks who knew their family and friends well, they did not take the time to mark who was in the images. As a result, there are many faces among the following family names to be indentifed: Basgaard, Johnson, Larson, Pederson/Peterson (Stallen, or Stalin), Strand, and more.

Johnson/Larson Cabinet Card Photo Album B, 1880s-1890s

Click on the album cover to look inside.

This is the second Victorian cabinet card photograph album owned by my great grandparents, Ole M. and Malla (Larson) Johnson of Leonard, Minnesota. The album side and back is covered in moss green velvet.

Pederson/Larson Photograph Album, 1880s-1900s

Click on the lead photo to look inside.

Included in this second family album are Victorian cabinet card photographs belonging to Karin (Larson) and her husband, Erik Stallen Pederson. Karin Pederson was an older sister of Malla (Larson) Johnson, owner of the first and second albums depicted. There are a few photographs present in both albums. Digitized photographs of the Pederson/Larson Album are courtesy of Nancy Larson of Warren, Minnesota.